This is the month I really hope to take control of my diet and eat much healthier. I’m in the habit of exercising regularly now, but watching what I eat, especially late at night, has always been difficult for me. The time has come to put as much effort into my diet as I have been putting into my exercise program. Vegetables and salads will make up the bulk of my meals… I hope.
Furthermore, January wasn’t one of my better months in terms of exercise, but I have several really good excuses: I caught a cold early in the month, the 2-week teacher training program I taught required a lot of preparation and occupied a lot of my thought time, and I drank way too much whiskey on Monday January 25. That last indiscretion cost me two workouts and left me with one hell of a two-day hangover.
Monday, February 1: I began the month with s homework at home (where else). Chest, shoulders, triceps, abs, sides, and calves. I’m typing this the next day and I’m happy to report that my shoulders – especially the outer parts which are my favorite – are very very sore.
Tuesday, February 2: A quick 15 km on my exercise bike while watching a season 5 episode of Stargate Atlantis.
Wednesday, February 3: Twenty kilometers on my bike and close to 2 hours walking around in the cold:
Thursday, February 4: Back in the gym for a 70 minute session: Back, traps, biceps, forearms, hamstrings, groin, abs, sides and lower back. And I bought my skipping rope along for the first time in a long time and did about 300 jumps. I also went for a 90 minute walk.
Friday, February 5: Almost a day off today with the only excercise my walk to and from my evening class. I had planned to get on my exercise bike, but ended up napping throughout the afternoon. A much needed rest after a very busy and hectic week.
Saturday, February 6: A good 90-minute workout in the gym after lunch while my cleaning lady was cleaning my apartment, God bless her. Chest, shoulders, triceps, hamstrings, and groin followed by 3.5 km on the treadmill and 200 rope jumps. I’m going to take my skipping rope to every gym session from now on:
Monday, February 8: After doing absolutely nothing yesterday, I went to the gym with a clear workout plan in mind: cardio and abs. Three km on the treadmill, 25 minutes of abs, and 360 jumps with my trusty skipping rope:
Tuesday, February 9: Thirty km on my exercise bike while watching episodes of Numb3rs and Heroes:
Wednesday, February 10: I almost didn’t make it to the gym today, but my motivation returned at the last minute as I was walking home after my 6:10 p.m. class. Back, traps, lower back, biceps, hamstrings, and then two forms of cardio: 2.5 km on the treadmill and 500 jumps with my skipping rope:
Friday, February 12: Back to the gym for a late night session starting at 9:30 p.m. 2.5 km on the treadmill to start the session and then chest, shoulders, and triceps. Some skipping to finish up with an increased heart rate, but I only managed 210 jumps. I had no energy left at all after finishing those. My new iPhone, which I bought yesterday, makes its debut in this picture:
Sunday, February 14: Twenty km on my excercise bike:
Monday, February 15: For a bit of variety I did a different home workout today: twenty minutes of abs, shoulders, and calves. I normally do shoulders the same day as chest, but my shoulders had recovered from my last workout and my chest was still a little sore so I gave my shoulders another workout.
Tuesday, February 16: I thought about going to the gym, but I didn’t make it there. Instead, I walked for about 2.5 hours around downtown and part of the way home after visiting the iPhone shop for a small adjustment.
Thursday, February 18: I arrived at the gym at the ungodly time of 6:45 a.m. Normally being at the gym so early is impossible, but I was helped by two recent afternoon naps that significantly messed up my sleeping pattern. I stayed for 90 minutes and worked my back, biceps, and legs. The cardio component consisted of 2.5 km on the treadmill and 640 skips:
Friday, February 19: A short and intense home workout for my chest, shoulders, and triceps.
Saturday, February 20: Another gym session today involving a lot of cardio: three kilometers on the treadmill, twenty minutes of abs, and seven skipping sets for a total of 960 jumps (155, 135, 120, 110, 125, 115, and 100).
Monday, February 22: Thirty-five km on my exercise bike. My longest bike session in quite a while. In other bike-related news, I bought a bicycle today:
Tuesday, February 23: Twenty-five kilometers on my exercise bike while watching Fringe:
Wednesday, February 24: Another early morning workout that will hopefully help get me in the habit of exercising before work. I’m really glad I bought a bicycle as it helps a lot by cutting down on the travel time to and from the gym. I started with a quick and steep 3 km on the treadmill, possibly my fastest time for that distance but I’ll have to check on that. Then a weights session: back, traps, lats, biceps, and forearms. The cardio continued with 8 skipping sets for a total of 1065 jumps (140, 145, 140, 130, 135, 135, 130, and 110) I finished with two light sets of lower back extensions. I wanted to do more, but I was exhausted from the skipping.
Thursday, February 25: Twenty five kilometers on my exercise bike:
Friday, February 26: Another early morning gym session, this one from 7:30 a.m. to 8:40. During my workout I exercise my chest, shoulders, abs, sides, hamstrings, groin, and calves. I finished with 4 skipping sets (165, 180, 125, and 170).
Saturday, February 27: To the gym for another morning session and my last gym session of the month. 4.5 km on the treadmill followed by some stretching and a lower back workout (the rest of my back wasn’t ready for another workout).
Sunday, February 28: I ended the month with 30 kilometers on my exercise bike while watching an episode of Firefly. That brought my monthly kilometer total up to 200:
